Penny’s Story
South 7th Village is one of UMOM’s Affordable Housing communities. Specifically created to serve veterans and individuals 55 years and older, all 90 units are currently occupied.
Meet Penny
After living in an unsafe household where she was the victim of domestic violence, Penny thought she would be better off on her own. She knew that she needed to leave, but unfortunately didn’t have anywhere to go. Living on the streets as an older woman was a struggle, and Penny was grateful to have found the Halle Women’s Shelter.
When Penny arrived at Halle, the only thing she valued was her emotional support dog, Cinnamon. She was overwhelmed by addressing her current mental health issues and lack of access to the medication she needed. As the weeks went on, Penny was able to process and learn more about her mental health by connecting with Empact, a UMOM community partner. Once Penny had addressed her overall state of well-being, she was better able to take care of herself and move forward in finding housing and employment.
After a long search, Penny was finally able to secure employment. Unfortunately, the job did not last. She was told that her emotional support animal was not allowed to accompany her, which gave her a great deal of anxiety. When she shared this concern with her employer, they let her go. Penny was devastated about losing her job; she had been working so hard to find employment and when the employer wasn’t willing to accommodate her needs, she fell into a state of depression.
She began to isolate herself, staying in her room and skipping meals. With the support of her case manager, at Halle Women’s Shelter, Penny was able to continue searching for employment, and was accepted for a new job. She was hesitant about her new work environment but continued to show up. Penny was also able to find a “doggy daycare” center for Cinnamon to stay during the day, which put her at ease knowing that Cinnamon was somewhere safe while she was at work.
Earlier this year, Penny applied for an apartment at UMOM’s newest affordable housing complex, South 7th Village. She was thrilled to learn that her application had been accepted. Although her move-in date was delayed due to the pandemic, it allowed her to continue working and saving money while at the women’s shelter. She was even able to find another job that was a better fit! Finally, Penny has moved into her new home. With help from the staff at Halle, Penny is in a better place than ever before, mentally and physically.